Visualize and

See the Pounds

Drop Away!

Surprising though it may seem, many conditions can be improved by visualization and weight loss is one of them.

It works like this: keep a vision in your mind of how you want your body to look, and subconsciously you will begin acting in a way that will go in that direction. You become much more positive about your body, more accepting of your diet or fitness regime, your weight loss programme moves up gear and you will reach your weight goals more quickly and easily.

Effecting change through visualizing desired outcomes has become more and more acceptable in recent years. Psychologists do not understand exactly how it works but clearly the mind and body are not as separate as we often believe. It seems that if you truly want something it is more likely to happen - provided that it is something that is possible and within your control.

Visualization helps us to truly want to lose weight and slim by creating a clear and happy picture of our fitter bodies. Without this we can often put psychological traps in our own path.

Many who are overweight believe they cannot lose weight. Perhaps you are one? Sometimes you may say it out loud, or hear friends say it about themselves. For others this belief stays in the subconscious. But it is sure that it influences our behavior.

Someone who believes it is impossible to lose weight will be constantly battling against their inner negativity. The mind will be constantly attempt to persuade them that there is no point dieting, that they cannot lose weight - so just go ahead and eat everything they want. Visualization is the strongest technique that we can use to overcome this siren voice and negative thoughts and impulses.

If you are plagued by negativity either from your own mind or from the reactions of friends and family to your diet, go ahead and visualize yourself at your desired weight as often as you can. It works on the same level as all those negative voices and can annihilate their influence like nothing else can.

It is important to practice every day - morning and evening if you can. Just take a few minutes in a quiet place and keep an image in your mind of your body at its ideal weight. Some will do this easily, others will need help. If you have a photograph of yourself at your ideal weight in the past, you may find it easier to look at that. Or use a photo from a magazine, but cut off the face, it’s your own body ideal you need to visualise!

You can also visualize from the inside. Close your eyes and let your awareness focus on a part of your body - for example, your right thigh. Imagine it slowly becoming slimmer in your mind's eye. Then move to the other thigh, and on through the body. It may help to start at the feet and move up towards the head, or vice versa.

As you go through your day think of yourself as already at your ideal weight and new slim-line figure. Create your own affirmations and repeat them frequently. And make sure it is always in the present tense ("I am glad to be flexible, fit and slim", and not "I will ...").

Enjoy the feeling of having a positive self-image. Over time, this will help you to keep to your weight loss plan. And you will find that fatty foods are less attractive and exercise more enjoyable.

While your weight loss will of course be gradual, the wonderful thing about visualization is that it gives you a new body image right away. Use visualization to accelerate your weight loss goals right now… today!